Welt turning mechanism and method of turning welts



Nov; 18, 1947. G ER 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR gofilahfiii er AT ORNE NOV 18, 1947. B|TZER 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AFTORNEY G. BITZER Nov. 18, 1947.

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 1, 1943 NOV. 18, 1947. I BITZER 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1945 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 wan-116$ INVENTOR "i NEY Nov. 18, 1947. ca. BITZE R 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Firs--11.-

116 20 115 I\ 2 M1 w Nov. 18, 1947. BITZER WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS 10 Sheets-Sheet a Filed Sept. 1, 1945 P .I. Er- 1% NOV. 18, 1947. G, BITZER 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR TORNEY Nov. 18, 1947. G. BITZER 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 i=1 5. a5 TM a 7 L Z a 111 INVENTOR TORNEY Nov. 18, 1947. G. BITZER 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR (705M019 Bifjer Nov. 18, 1947. n-z 2,431,160

WELT TURNING MECHANISM AND METHOD OF TURNING WELTS Filed Sept. 1, 1943 l0 SheetsSheet 10 F1 5--Ql- 1 1 E- QE "A0 0T] /L am 202 7 97 l lE- .LE l '5 196 20,0 :19 15217 INVENTOR Gofilobflif er" BY Q U l M" ORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1947 WELTTUENIN G MECHANISMTAND METHOD OF TURNING-WELTS Gottlob Bitzer Lincoln Park, Pa assignor to Textile Machine Works,--Wyomissing, Pa .a. corporation of Pennsylvania,

Application s'eptember 1, 1943, S'rial-No. 501-;037

29 Claims. 1:

. This invention relates to turningrthe welt por-- tion of'a fabric'on a full-fashioned orrlikeiknitting machine and to certain improvedi adjuncts for use in such anaoperation'. In certain aspects thisinvention is .an'improvemeni; over that'disclosed and: claimed: in: my prior. application filed June 10,1941, Serial No. 397,452, nowPatent No.- 2,'413,601, for'Automatically performing: welting operations.

Asisl well known, theafirst course of loopsin a fabric formed on a full-fashioned or otherflat knitting machineiis commonlyhooked up; that is caught on alsetiofhooks, welt hooks held in a welt bar, andl'drawn away fromthe needles for a time during the formation of a number of subsequent'courses. The fabric knitted'while the first course of "loops is heldon the welt hooks is ordinarily turnedto'form a :two-ply-welt and to lock the loops'of the first course by returning such. loops of the first courseonto the-needles and thereafter knitting the returned: loops into thefabric. This operation of forming a two-ply welt inzifull-fashioned hosiery is of generalpractice; and 'the so called turning stenthatis the-trans fer of the first course of loops which are-held upon thewelr, hooks backontotheineedles, has customarily been doneby hand.

While a. number. ofii apparatuses and methods have been proposed for turning welts :formedon full-fashionedknitting machines, some havebeen technically successful insofar as restoring the first course to. theneedles:waszconcerned; but all have left something to be desired as .to simplicity and: cost. Thosewhichhave been complicated have been vexpensiveand often cumbersome while their complication necessitated a long period of training for the operatorslin order to obtain substantially'trouble" free operation and limited the number of operators capable of handlingth apparatus. satisfactorily. The less. complicated forms of welt. turners have: generally suffered from unreliability in the'turning operation; By far the greater part of the-knitted welts nowheing produced arestill" turned by hand.

It isian: object of'this'iinvention to provide an improved welt turning mechanism of either a fully automatic or of a semi-automatic character adapted for use on full-fashioned-andlike knitting machinesrand: which will'increase thereliability of operation inv proportion to the complexity and/or cost of. the apparatus.

Another object-of my invention is .to :provide :a: novel weltturning, apparatus requiring a relatively small. number of parts andrarranged to: pressthe need-lesxor-certain' of them at thetime 2 of restoringgthe:firstcourse to the needle row; an'drwhicli "will produce the .-desiredpressing? action by a relatively lightrpressure; decrease 'the needle :breakage. and-have-a minimum tendency for the parts to-.fallcoutiof-thennecessary. time description of "the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in thenovel methods, elements, features of construction and arrangement of partsin cooperative relationship as hereinafter more particularly-pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 isa cross-sectional view at'a point intermediate the length of a full-fashioned knitting machine, parts being omitted for purposes of illustration;

Fig? 2 is a sectional detail View showing parts of the mechanism for controlling the needles;

Fig 3 is a detail view in plan of the. presser cams for the knitting. cycle, for the usual narrowingcycle andlfor the cycle for restoringthe first course to the needles;

Fig. 4 is a planview of the central and endportions of a welt bar fitted with welt hooks having. presser means associated therewith;

Fig. 5 is anelevation of .the forward side of the banshownin: Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line- 6-6-of Fig. 5,-looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is anendview,lookingfrom theleft of Fig. 5, a part being broken off;

Fig. BlSi aplan view on an enlargedsca-le of mechanism for moving; a welt bar for engaging. a first cours of loops, knitting a. welt and turning a welt;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantiallybn the line. 99T-of Fig. 8;

Fig: lOZis arsectional detail taken substantially on the line lll-IU of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being omitted;

Figs. 11 to 16 inclusive are sectional views similar to Fig. 9 showing the parts in difierent successive positions occupied after the one shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in carrying out a hooking-up and welt turning cycle;

Fig. 17 is a side view showing the sinkers, needles and yarn guide just after the yarn for the first course of a welt has been laid to the needles;

Fig. 18 is a detail plan view showin some of the needles and sinkers in the same position as in Fig. 1'7;

Figs. 19, 20 and 21 are views showing successive positions of the sinkers, needles and welt hooks in hooking up the loops of the first course;

Fig. 22 is a plan View showing some of the needles and welt hooks in the same position as in Fig. 21; I

Fig. 23 is a vertical sectional View showing a needle, sinker, welt hook and casting-off point at the beginning of a cycle for casting off alternate loops of the first course;

Fig. 24 is a view similar to Fig. 23 but showing the parts in a succeeding position;

Fig, 25 is sectional plan view showing certain needles, points and welt hooks in the same position as in Fig. 24;

Figs. 26 and 27 are views similar to Fig. 24 but showing the parts in succeeding positions in a casting-off cycle;

Fig. 28 is a plan view of some of the needles and welt hooks after alternate loops of the first course have been cast off the needles as in Fig. 27;

Fig. 29 is an end view partly broken away showing the positions of the needles, welt hooks and presser means as the needles begin their upward movement to catch the previously cast-off loops of the first course held on the welt hooks;

Fig. 30 is a view similar to Fig. 29 but showing the needles in a slightly higher position than in Fig. 29, some of the needles being pressed out of their normal line;

Fig. 31 is a plan showing some of the needles, welt hooks and associated presser means in the same position as in Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a detail side view on an enlarged scale of two of the needles and welt hooks shown in Fig. 30;

Fig. 33 is a View similar to Fig. 30 but showing the needles after they have passed up through" the loops on the welt hooks and the hooks have moved forward as far as permitted at the time by fabric;

Fig. 34 is an elevation of the preferred form of welt hook and associated presser means according to the invention;

Fig. 35 is a plan of the hook and presser means shown in Fig. 34; 6

Fig. 36 is a plan of a hook and presser means similar to Fig. 35 except that the presser means is on the side of hook opposite to that'shown in Fig. 35;

Fig. 37 is a section on the line 3'l31 on Fig. 35, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 88 is a section on the line 3838 on Fig. 36 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 39 is an elevation of a metal blank of a form utilized to form the presser means on the hooks shown in Figs. 35 and 36;

Fig. 40 is a section taken on the line 4040 of Fig. 39;

Fig. 41 is an elevation of another form of combined welt hook and presser means within the invention;

the needles rise through the loops on the hooks;

Fig. 45 is an elevation of still another form of combined welt hook and presser means in accordance with the invention and in which two hook members are mounted on a single shank;

Fig. 46 is a plan of the hook and presser means shown in Fig. 45; and

Fig. 47 is a detail in plan of parts of several combined hook and presser means as shown in Figs. 45 and 46 together with loops of a first course of a welt thereon and showing needles in the positions assumed as they rise between the hooks to take loops from the hooks.

In the drawings and description, only the means and method necessary to a complete understanding of the invention have been specifically set forth; further information as to the construction and operation of other related, usual and well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be found in one or more of the following publications:

1. Pamphlet entitled-Full Fashioned Knitting Machines-published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1920.

2. Three catalogs entitled--The Reading Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine Parts Catalog published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, in 1929, 1935 and 1940 respectively.

3. Booklet entitledThe Reading High-Production Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine-which forms a supplement to the above noted 1940 parts catalog of the Textile Machine Works, and which booklet is a publication of the Textile Machine Works, and was copyrighted by the latter in 1940.

4. Pamphlet entitled-Knitting Machine Lecturespublished by the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

The knitting machine shown in part in the drawings is a standard Reading legger or single unit machine except as modified to include certain of the improvements in welt turning apparatus disclosed in my said application Serial No. 397,452, certain features of the welt turner disclosed in said prior application being, however, omitted herein.

In the welt turning apparatus disclosed herein, means are provided whereby the loops of the first course are hooked up or caught on welt hooks in a welt bar so as to be drawn away from the needle row as usual during the knitting of certain subsequent courses included in the welt. When a predetermined length of the welt fabric has been knitted, the welt rod is placed upon the fabric, the welt bar is thrust part way toward the needles and tension is applied to the welt rod to form a fold in and to tension the welt fabric. When all the courses of the welt are completed the welt bar is given a further movement toward the needles into a position to restore the loops of the first course to the needles to complete the turning of the welt. Such method of operating to knit and turn the welt, together with means for performing the same, is disclosed and claimed in my said prior application, Ser. No. 397,452,

a ainst and while disclosed also herein forms no part-of the present invention and isnot claimed herein.

' In accordance with the present invention, means moving with the welt bar are utilized to press alternate needles in the direction contrary "to the draw-off motion to prevent them from engaging loops intended to be received on the remaining needles, said remaining needles being allowed to maintain their usual position relative to the needle bar and being inserted in the loops held on the stems of the welt hooks. Preferably, the needles to receive loops are tilted abit more in the direction of the draw-off motion at the time the loops are restored to the needles than is the case at the time the needles rise through the loops in knitting an ordinary course. So pressthe the needles which are not to receive loops ensures that they will miss the edges of the loops and so avoid damage to the yarn and irregularity in the fabric. Using both the extra tilt of one group and the pressing of the other group of needles provides a maximum reliability of op eration to ensure that all of the loops will be "transferred from the hooks back to the needles and without damage to the yarn or to the appearance of the fabric due to action of the needles intended to be idle.

There is provided in accordance with the present invention a welt bar having novel presser means thereon and novel hook-up members including or carrying the presser means whereby the needles to be pressed may be contacted at the level of the hook-up members; in other words, "at as high a level as practical to produce the de-- sired degree of pressing with a minimum of lateral pressure and danger of needle breakage. An improved presser cam is provided to give the needle bar the unusual degree of tilt desired while the needles are rising.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the full-fashioned Reading knitting machine partially shown in Fig. 1 therein comprises a framework including transverse frames 52] shown in dot and dash lines on which are longitudinal frame members such as the front beam 5!, the back beam 52, the front bed or table 53 and the center bed 54. Such machines commonly have a number of knitting sections which are substantially duplicates, so that only one section is shown. Further, the cams for carrying out certain functions are commonly supplied in multiple, although not at the rate of one per section, but only one cam for carrying out a given function is shown. Therefore, any description of one cam herein and accompanying parts for carrying out a given function will be understood as applying to a plurality of similar cams. The elements entering most directly into the-knitting of the yarn are yarn carriers 49 (Fig. 1'7), sinkers 55, dividers 5t, beard-type needles 5?, and knockover bits 58. The sinkers and dividers are mounted as shown to reciprocate in sinker-heads 59 mounted on the center bed 54 while the needles 5'! are mounted on needle bars such as 6!! which are caused tofollow a path involving up and down as well as back and forth motions, The forward movements of the sinkers are caused by slur cams (not shown) which are reciprocated so as to swing forward at desired times the upper ends of jacks 62 which act to push the sinkers from the position shown in Fig, 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. The slur cams are actuated to follow closely the movements of the yarn carriers which are reciprocated by the same cam, a coulier cam "(not shown), as the slur cams. The coulier cam which are fixed to the needle bars.

6 reciprocates a slur bar or connecting her (not shown), to which the slur cams are connected, and a friction box rod, said bar and rod moving in synchronism. On the friction box rod are friction boxesadapted to be connected, one to any desired yarn carrier rod, each rod having a carrier thereon for each knitting section, The throw of each yarn carrier rod is, however, limited by stops one at each end of its path, so that the throw of the yarn carriers is less than that of the slur came, the friction boxes slipping on the friction-box rod after the yarn carrier rod hits a stop. As the yarn carriers move, the yarn guide tubesat their lower ends lay yarn on the noses of the sinkers and dividers. Almost assoon as the guide tube has passed a given sinker, the sinker is pushed forward by the slur cam and jack to push the yarn between two adjacent needles, thereby measuring off the yarn needed for two loops. The dividers then-are moved forward by the catch-bars (not shown) so that the yarn is divided evenly between all the needles. The catch-bars afterward draw both the sinkers and dividers back again to facilitate drawing-the loops off the noses of the sinkers and dividers by the needles. The catch-bars also thrust the sinkers and dividers forward a second time during a given cycle, to hold the fabric below the sinkers and dividers, and draw them back again to be ready for couliering at the beginning of the next knitting cycle.

The needle bars 60 receive their motions from cams on the main cam shaft 63, on which are also the cams for carrying out motions of the remaining active parts of the machine. As shown, the needle bars 60 are operated from two shafts, a needle bar shaft 64 and a presser shaft '65. The needle 'bar shaft has substantially horizontal arms 66, two for each needle bar, which extend rearwardly beneath the needle bars and have pivots 6! at their rear ends in which are pivoted short generally vertical arms, the upper ends of Cams (not shown), some for the knitting cycle and some for the narrowing cycle, oscillate the needle bar shaft 64 to produce the motions of the bars 60 and needles 5'! in the direction at right angles to the sinkers, the up and down direction in the present day full-fashioned knitters.

The forward and rearward or back and forth motions of the needles and needle bars, those parallel to the sinkers, are caused by presser cams, of which a group of three are shown in Fig. 3, The presser shaft 65 has depending levers or arms 68 fixed thereon for receiving impulses from said presser cams. Means for transmitting impulses from said cams to the needles include pins 59 fixed to arms 68 about midway of their lengths, pins 69 normally engaging in notches 10 in the lower edges of links H which extend both forwardly and rearwardly of the pins 59 and the rear ends of which are pivotally connected to the lower ends of arms or levers 12. The upper ends of arms 12 are fixed to the under sides of the needle bars. Each lever 68 has a cam follower l3 pivoted or journalled thereon for directly receiving the impulses delivered by one or the other of the presser earns. Each cam follower 13 is shiftable longitudinally of its pivot for a reason which will presently appear. Also each pivot for a cam follower 13 is shown, as fixed to its lever 68 intermediate pin 69 and the lower end of the lever, near the latter there being a tension spring M connected thereto arranged to draw the lever rearwardly toward the shaft 63, During their downward motions in knitting cycles, the needles are swung rearwardly so that their beards contact with Presser edges 15 shown at the forward ends of the base members of the sinker heads to thereby force the tips or lower ends of the beards into grooves in the upper ends of the stems of the needles. Such rearward motions are caused by presser cams 16, of which there are a number on a given multi-section machine. Whenever cams 16 press cam followers 13 forwardly against the pull of springs 14, links H draw the lower ends of arms 12 forwardly. The needle bars 60 and needles 51, however, being above pivots 61, the thereby swung rearwardly toward the presser edges 15.

As appears in Fig. 2, the presser cam 16 has a circular contour for the major portion of its perimeter, the high spots on the cams acting to cause the pressing action as just mentioned. The arms 98 and the needles would, therefore, if no other means were provided maintain the needles 51 a fixed distance from the presser edge 15 during all periods of laying the yarn to the needles. However, it will be seen that, the throw of the sinkers being constant, the amount of thread drawn per sinker during the slurring period depends on the distance of the needle stems from the presser edge 5 of the sinker head base during the slurring of the sinkers. As it is desired to change the lengths of the knitted loops from time to time, the diameter of the circular portions of cams 76 is made so small that the loops formed would be larger than ordinarily desired, and additional means is provided to control the position of arms 68 and the distance of needles 5! from the presser edge it during the period of couliering or slurring of the sinkers and to thereby determine the length of the knitted loops. Said additional means comprises a regulating shaft 1'! on which are fixed short arms or levers 78 having pins fixed near their outer ends projecting substantially parallel to the shaft 1'! and contacting at the desired times with contact faces E9 on the rear sides of the lower portions of arms 68 to swing the arms forwardly or counter clockwise A as shown in Fig. 2 to thereby swing the needles closer to the sinker head than they would be held by cams l8 and to thereby determine or regulate the length of the loops. A special set of regulator cams (not shown) is provided for con- I trolling the angular position of shaft IT during yarn laying to thereby regulate the length of loops in the manner just described.

The full-fashioned knitting machine carries out two different cycles, one the knitting cycle just described and the other the narrowing cycle.

During a narrowing cycle, the cam shaft 63 is shifted to the right as viewed from the front of the machine thereby disconnecting the shaft of the coulier cam from the shaft 63 from which it is driven during knitting cycles. Therefore, no yarn is laid during a narrowing cycle. If then the needles 5? were to go to press during the narrowing cycles, the fabric would be cast off the needles during each such cycle. To prevent this, a cam 80 is provided alongside cam 76, shown at its left as viewed from the front of the machine, so that as cam shaft 63 shifts to the right at the beginning of the narrowing cycle, the cam follower i3 is automatically shifted from cam '6 to cam 99. Cam 86 will be understood to have no protuberance capable of throwing the needles against the presser edge.

During each narrowing cycle, the narrowing machine comes into play. Said machine comprises a series of curved arms 8| pivoted on a shaft 82 carried on the frame-work of the knitting machine andknown as the back narrowing shaft. From shaft 82, arms 9| extend upwardly, forwardly and then somewhat downwardly. At their forward ends, they have fixed therein a shaft 83 known as the front narrowing shaft on which are fixed brackets 84 for carrying the narrowing rods 85, 85 employed in the operation of narrowing but which are not used in the welt area and therefore will be further referred to only incidentally. Also, supported from brackets 84 is, among other things, a shaft 85, pivotally mounted on which are arms such as 8'! which, when in active position, curve downwardly and somewhat rearwardly as shown in Fig. 1 and are there fixed to a lace or picot bar 88 in which are held a series of points 89, commonly called picot points, of which there are half as many as there are needles. When not in use picot bars 88 may be turned counter clockwise from the position shown so that points 89 are at a level above the front narrowing shaft 83. Means is provided whereby the shaft 83 may be prevented from following certain of the usual narrowing dipping movements for purposes and in a manner hereinafter set forth. Such means comprises generally vertical links 99 which extend between front narrowing shaft 83 and levers 9|, links 99 being pivoted at both ends. Levers 9| are generally horizontal and are pivoted in the frame at their front ends at 92. For raising levers 9| from and for lowering them to the position shown in Fig. 1, said means comprises a lifting shaft 93. Fixed on shaft 93 intermediate their ends are levers one of which appears at 94, Fig. 1. At its rear end, each lever 9 t has pivoted thereto at 95 a lifting link or arm 96, each link 96 extending upwardly from its pivot 95 and having a sharp lip 9'! adapted to engage a notch 98 in the under side each lever 9i and at the rear end thereof. At its lower end, each link 95 extends below its pivot as shown at 99, and a spring I99 between the extension 99 and an enlargement iii! of lever 94 thrusts link 96 in the clockwise direction about its pivot 95, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that lip 91 at the upper end of link 96 catches in notch 98 to lift lever 9! whenever lifting shaft 93 is turned clockwise much beyond the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1,

Bar 88 and points 89 derive their names from the fact that they are commonly used to make a picot course. In the present instance, I employ them also for casting off certain loops from the needles in a manner which will now be more fully explained.

When a narrowing cycle is to be performed, the cam shaft 63 is automatically shifted to the right from the knitting to the narrowing position thus bringing the cam followers on levers 9| onto narrowing cams for dipping the levers. At the same time, the movement of shaft 63 brings narrowing presser cams 89 into the planes of the followers 13 for the presser levers 68 both in the case of an ordinary narrowing cycle for narrowing the fabric by the action of combs on rods 85 and in the case of a casting off cycle;

Such a casting-01f operation is employed on alternate loops of the first course of the welt to facilitate the restoration of the first course to the needles, the step of casting off for this purpose forming, however, no part of this invention. As previously indicated, after yarn has been laid to the needles for forming a first course of a welt, the yarn is sunk and divided to press the sinker loops between the stems of the needles as shown in Figs. 17 and 18. Welt hooks I02 and I02A are then thrust beneath the sinkers 55 and dividers 56 and above the knock-over bits 58 as shown in Figs. 19 and 20 to receive the sinker loops as they are drawn down off the noses of the sinkers and divlders by the needles when the sinkers and di= viders are drawn back by thecatch bar. It will be understood that, in moving from the position shown in Fig. 17 to that shown in Fig. 20, the needles follow the path taken by them in the usual knitting cycle and it Will be seen that, in so moving, the needles pass close to but are not affected by certain enlargements shown on the hooks while the welt hooks stand at the rearmost position occupied by them. The needles are, however, affected by said enlargements when the first course is returned to the needles because the needles are given an unusual or greater degree of forward tilt at such time, as hereinafter described, The draw-off tension is then applied to hooks I02, thereby producing the condition shown in Figs. 21 and 22. A narrowing cycle is then employed in which alternate loops of the first course are cast off the needles.

In such narrowing cycle, said narrowing dip:- ping cams lower the levers 9| and front narrowing shaft 83 50 that any points 89 in position to cooperate with the needles are brought down as the needles start downward from the position shown in Fig. 23, but more rapidly, so that, the draw-off tension having been temporarily relaxed by automatic means for the purpose, the points press between the loops and the needles as shown in Figs. 24 and 25. In the ordinary narrowing cycle, the said narrowing cams retain control over the movements of the points until the loops af fected by the points 89 or the like have been shifted to other needles, either by longitudinal movement of picot shaft 35 or longitudinal move ment of narrowing rods 85.

For cases such as the present instance in which the loops affected by points 89 are to be cast off, however, control of the vertical motion of the points 89 is taken over at a certain point in the narrowing cycle by another means. For this purpose, the lifting levers 94 are provided with arms I03 which extend forwardly so that their forward ends lie beneath shaft 63 and they have fixed thereon pins I04 serving as pivots for cam followers I05. Cam followers I05 are mounted to be shifted on pins I011 parallel to the axis of shaft 63 by means of forks IE5 at the upper ends of levers Ill! and, at the proper time, the patterning means of the machine moves levers I01 to shift followers I05 into the planes of casting off cams I08, Cams I08 have high points I89 which are so set angularly that they force forlowers I05 downward and arms 96 upwards to lift the points 89 faster than is done by the dipping narrowing cams. The result is that, after the narrowing cams have lowered the points 89 from the position shown in Fig. 23 to that shown in Fig. 24 to engage alternate loops and the needles and points have then been raised by the dipping cams to the position shown in Fig, 26, the points instead of following the needles down again to the position shown in Fig. 27 are then raised by the high point I 08 on 0am I as so that, the 'sinkers and dividers having been again b rought forward as shown in Fig. 27 and lying above the fabric, the loops are then stripped err the'points 89 just before the points and needles reach the relative positions shown in Fig. 2'7. The tension having been automatically thrown on again. the

10 loops dropped by the points 89 are pulled by the draw-off tension above the tips of the needles to the non-beard sides thereof, thus completing the casting-off operation and bringing the loops into the position shown in Figs. 27 and 28 in which each cast-off loop embraces the stems of a pair of hooks. This action of the draw-off tension is facilitated by presser cam 89 for the narrowing cycle in drawing the needles sharply in the direction of the presser edge 15 at this time by means of the second protuberance on this cam without however causing them to touch the presser edge.

For the purpose of moving the welt bars and the hooks thereon into the positions desired for hooking up the loops of the first courses and for restoring the first courses to the needles, there is shown herein a mechanism similar to that dis closed and claimed in my said prior application, Serial No. 397,452. This mechanism also forms no part of my present invention and is not claimed herein. The welt bars 298, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, are provided with projections I I!) at their ends. Projections I I0 slide on shoulders l I I on rails I I2 which extend in pairs across the top of the centre bed at right angles to the needle rows, projections III] extending beneath lips I I3 at the upper edges of low thin walls H5 along the outer sides of rails II 2, at least for parts of the paths of the bars along the rails. The representative welt bar 206 shown has fixed horizontally therein along its rear edge a series of special welt hooks I02 which have presser means directly associated therewith in accordance with the present invention. 9n its front edge, welt bar 206 has a pair of thin metal strips for receiving thrusts to move the bar toward the needles, one of which strips is shown at H6. Strips H6 are arranged to be contacted by pins Ill and are bent to form inverted us against which the pins I ll thrust to move the bar toward the needle row. Pins II! are mounted at the rear ends of links [I8 and extend from points in alinement with strips H6 parallel to the centre bed 53 and perpendicular to rails II2 across shoulders III to points underneath the lips H3. The pins II! therefore are held on the rails in their movements therealong. For operating pins II'l, links H8 are pivoted at I I9 to the upper ends of levers I26, the lower ends of which are fixed to a shaft I2I. By turning shaft I2I counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 9, levers I26 are turned so that pins II! are carried toward the needle row, pushing bars 206 and welt hooks I02 before them. The first move ment of shaft I2l pushes bars 206 up into the position shown in Fig. 11 in which they are in contact with stops I22.

The welt hooks I02 having been engaged with the loops of the first course and the pusher pins II'I moved back again to the position shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, alternate loops are cast off as hereinabove described and the draw-0e" tension is applied to the bars 266 through weight operated straps I23 which have hooks I24 at their rear ends for engaging yokes I25 on the front edges of bars 2%. Knitting then proceeds while preparations are made to apply a welt rod I26 (Fig. 13) to each welt fabric. As the draw-off tension is applied to the fabric blanks thru the ends of welt rods I25 as soon as practical and then for the remainder of the period of knitting a given set of blanks, such preparation preferably includes drawing toward the needle rows the straps I2! by which draw-off tension is tote app to the welt rods by means of hooks I28 (Figs 8 and 13) secured to the ends of straps I27. For this 11 purpose, the hooks I28 are provided with apertures I25 (Fig. 8) whereby the hooks can be passed onto and engaged with fingers I35 (Fig. 9) as shown in Fig. 12, the drums I3I on which straps I21 are wound during knitting being turned counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 9 to permit hooks I28 to be drawn rearwardly for this purpose. Fingers I39 are fixed on belts I32 which are apertured at I33 (Fig. 8) to receive nobs I34 (Figs. 8 and 1?. to 16 inclusive) on narrow drums I35 around which belts run at the forward ends of their paths. Belts I32 run around idler pulleys I35 at the rear ends of their paths, the upper runs of the belts passing above the center bed 53 and the lower runs of the belts passing below it. Drums I35 are fixed on a rotatable shaft I31. Shaft I3! has gears I38 fixed thereon which mesh with toothed segment gears I 39. By swinging segment gears I 39 clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 13, shaft I37 will be turned counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 9, 11 and 12 and belt F32 will be moved to run fingers I39 and the hooks I28 fixed thereon toward the needle rows to the position shown in Fig. 13. As soon then as enough courses have been knitted so that the first course has been drawn by the welt hooks I92 forward of the position of the hooks I28 in Fig. 13, a welt rod or wire is placed on top of each fabric.

Preferably, as shown in Figs. 9 to 16 inclusive, rails II 2 have grooves I59 in their sides for receiving the ends of welt rods I25. Grooves I49 are shown as lying close to the lower edges of rails I I2 throughout most of the lengths of the rails but as curving upward to the top faces of the shoulders III at points near the stops I22 where the grooves I46 are flared to facilitate introduction of rods I26. In the arrangement shown, a spring stop MI is fixed to the bottom of each rail I I2 and projects up into the groove E59. Stops I II are adapted to yield as rods I25 are pushed down into. the flaring mouths of the grooves to let the rods pass in the draw-off or forward direction, but are adapted to check any movements of the rods in the opposite directions when the rods have once passed the stops. The rods I26 are drawn against stops II by the operative to place them in position suitable to be engaged by the hooks I23. The rods I25 and hooks I28 are now in the positions shown ,in Fig. 13, hooks I28 being held against the tension applied by straps I21 byfingers I39. The belts I52 are held in turn against the tension by latch levers I42 which are urged against the surfaces of drums I43 on shaft I31 b springs I34 so as to engage notches I45 in the surfaces of the drums, as shown in Fig. 13 when hooks I28 are in the position shown in this figure.

When sufficient welt fabric has been knitted to render it convenient to fold the welt rods into the welts or the welt bars 255 approach the pins III, shaft I2I is turned counterclockwise .to carry the welt bars 296 part way toward the needle bars to the position shown in Fig. 14 in which position the shaft I2I and the bars 293 are held stationary for a further period in which welt courses are formed. Further, advantage preferably is taken of the rotation of shaft I2I in turning from the position of Fig. 13 to that of Fig, 14 to automatically throw the tension onto the welt rods. For this purpose, shaft I2I has cams I56 fixed thereon and latch levers I 52 have cooperating wedge shaped cam pieces I41 thereon. The earns his and m are so related that can I45 i a t e I5'I for this purpose.

left of and in contact with cam II when viewed as in Fig. 13. Therefore, as shaft I2I turns from the position of Fig. 13 to that of Fig.14, cams M5 push cams I4! and arms I42 downward so as to release the drums I43 from latch levers I 32. Belts I32, fingers I30 and hooks I28 are thereby rendered free to move and are then drawn forwardly so that hooks I28 automatically engage the ends of welt rods I26. The rods are then drawn against the welts to fold the rods into the welts. Additional courses of Welt fabric are then knitted to complete the welts while the parts 296, I I8, I29 and I2! remain in the position shown in Fig. 14. Automatic latch means are provided for holding the parts 296, IE8, I25 and I2I in the position shown in Fig. 14 which will be presently described. By so throwing the draw-off tension on the welt rods before the welts have been completed and holding the welt rods stationary in ,an intermediate position, the length of the welts is not limited by the length of path provided for a welt bar on the rails II2 by the mechanism for moving the welt bars toward the needles.

After all the courses for the welts have been completed, the shaft IZI is again moved counter-. clockwise to bring the welt hooks I92 and I02A with loops of the first course thereon back to their extreme rearward position as shown in Fig. 15 for the purpose of restoring the first course to the needles. After the restoration of the first course to the needles, knitting continues and the welt bars 296 are carried along on the fabric as indicated in Fig. 16 until it is convenient for the operatives to unhook them from the loops and place the welt bars again in the position shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9 to be ready for another hooking-up operation.

The means, whereby the welt manipulating implements such as hook members I02 and I62A on welt bars 206, are first moved between the needles for hooking-up, then moved part way to the needles and held there for a time, and finally moved between the needles again for restoring the first course to the needles, is described in detail in my said application Serial No. 397,452, but will now be described herein for purposes of convenience.

On main cam shaft 53 is a group'of three cams I48, I49 and I50 and a round cam disk I5I. The cam follower I52 for cooperating with the group of cams I 48, I49 and I50 is mounted to revolve on a bolt I53 fixed at the forward end of a lever I54 and on which follower I52 is adapted to shift parallel to shaft 63. Lever I54 is pivoted at I55 on a bracket I55 fixed to the back beam 52. Except when the welt bars 296 are to be moved, the follower I52 lies in the plane of disk I5I and the weight of the lever I54 and attached parts is taken by an arm I51 which is fixed to extend forwardly from the bracket I56, a stud I58 extending from the lower edge of lever I54 to contact with arm If stud I58 accidentally works out of adjusted position, the weight of le ver I54 is transferred by follower I52 to disk I5I. When welt bars 205 are to be thrust toward the needles by pins III to hook-up the first course, follower I52 is shifted automatically into the plane of cam M8. The means for so shifting follower I52 comprises a link I59 which is operated at the desired times and the necessary amount by a. shift means controlledfrom the usual pattern chain of the machine. When link I59 is operated (pulled downward in the arrangement shown), a lever (not shown) shifts the follower I52 a distance proportional to the movement of '13 Blink I50. When follower I 52 :been :shifted r to' lie infthe plane: of: am I 48, the cam lifts bolt I 53 :and with= it anadjustable 'extension I60 held irigid with lever I54- thereby lifting also a pivot I6I at th aupper end of extension I60 onlwhich is=pivoted the lower en' d :oi a' link V I 62 the-"upper iend of which is pivoted to the lower end of a toothed rack 163 meshing "with fa: gear I I 64 fixed "to' said'shaft'nl. Therefore,-as pivot I53 is "raised, rack I-63"is-'a-lso raisedfrom the position "shown in Fig. '1 -t01 turn shaft I2 I counterclockwise-from-the position of F-igs.-1,' 8 and"9 to' that *of Fig/11, while theifirst course 'is being hooked up. *As the high 'point-of cam I40 first passes from beneath follower I52; the follower I52 :"and

rack I 63 are lowered 'a'gain to the position shown in 'Fig. l an'd the pins I I1= therebybroughtback to theiriorward positionas shown in Fig. 12 leaving thewe1t =bars 2-00,". however, near the needles.

When -it -isi;nowtime to throw welt bars 206 into the intermediate. position shown 'in 3 Fig. 14, the pattern chaincauses cam" follower I52 to be "shifted to a' position in the plane :of cam I49, whi'ch' is not as "high as'cam l iii. Again ithe shaft 1 I 2 I is turnedccounterclockwise "but not: so 1 'far as before. it is desired:thatztheiparts should remain in' the; position shown" in Fig. 14 'fora number of revolutions, means .is "provided to latch-the lever I54 in position'to hold the parts in the positionshown 'intthe figure untilreleased. ?Such means comprisessa bell lever I05, shown partly in'dotted linesin Fi'gql-tand pivoted to lever I54 at I66. ionear-miifi'liofl lever I55'isshown'in vertical position iniFig 1 and .has'ta slight projection IEB having a fla't vertical face shown'as lying-in contact 'with'a vfiatlvertical face at the right hand erid of-"arm I51. :Lever i'05is'biased t-onpress somewhat'againstitheend :of'arm I51 by' the iactithat' its horizontal Farm l 00 (shown in dotted linesin-Fig'l) has a "pin'and slot connection I with the leftie'n'd of a lever I15 (also shown dotted) which is pivoted rat I12 on lever I54. Lever I1! .is-lo'ngerirornpivot' I12 toitsleft "end then itl i's" fromapivot" I12 :to. its right endso that it tends' to' turn counterclockwise about its .pivot I12 as viewediin'iFig. 1. Owing tolt'he'pin iandrslot connection between the left'end of lever HI and the right endiof arm I'Ii9iof "lever iG5,the counterciockwise bias of ilev'er I'II gives lever l I 65 L the clockwise bias 'JDIBViOllSlY mentioned, so that when follower"I52 and'1ever I54 are lifted flby camiHliJ, projection .150 charm-I51 of lever I55 swingsaabovea corner'l13rat the upperedge ofthe ri'ghti hand end of'arm 'I51 and catches on 'corneri'l 13 when lever I 54 itendsato ."descend zagain afterrcami I49Lrides' out "from underscam follower I52. The IBVEI IIB5 therefore latches lever tfi ii in 'the' opposition a'fter'rthe operation :oil the lever by cam MSa'and the: rack IE3 therefore holds the shaft I2I inthe positionshown inFig. Pix-untilv I lever 5 I55 iisvtoperatedr 'again.

After" the "welt courses have all "been knitted eand it :tbecomes inecessa'ry to restore the Rfirst courses to the needles, the jpattern- .chaincauses .iollower-I 52 to be shiftedwintoxthe piarxe cream I50. .Cams I 18 and-I arezof the same maximum :height, cam :having' a lesser maximum height, but cam I50 maintains its maximum .zihei'ght "thru'out *a greater Zangie thandoes earn 148, thereby maintaining the pins -'i ii in their extreme rearwardspositieniioro longeritime than 'isprovided bvcamj i 53. v'lhisdsidone because iinore time is. required iorirestoring thefirst :conrse to the needles thanvfor oni'ylhooking upthe first iicourse. :fiamifollower 5152 having 'been shifted tinto the plane of scam F I50,';;rack 163 :turnsshaft iIr2Iito move the welt barsiironrthe position shown Fig.;l4"totthat:tshown in Fig. .15 in which: the melt bars 206 are; againincontactwith stops I22. iT-hetfirst coursesihaving been restored to the meedlesibyiitheimethod and the welt bar means, to =beiqaresentiyssetwout"in detaiLTthe lever I54 is lowered again tot'he position shown in Fig. l L=an'd"the:1'ack:-I'63 restores. theipins I I1, links I I8 :andvlevers-IIZDitoLthe; positions shown in Fig. 16. riniorderuthat @thisrrmay- 0001113; however, the bell (lever I55 mnst beiunlatched from the corner I13. 1T0: thisiendJthereisjprovided a link I14 (Fig. 21') :whichisshown asl'beingygenerally vertical and ,pivoted-atlits upper-"end at iii; to a part connected to the-:rmachineiframe and at its lower end is provided wit-h aige-nerally vertical'slot I'EG. A pin I11.fixed-'to-the-"right"hand end'of lever iII extends ii-nto slot- I1 Gland-is adapted to move up and .down therein, th-e' path ofi ,pinI11-being limited at thelupperrand lower ends of slot I16 by adjust- -able stopiscrews I18. Whenclever I54 is lifted by "cam I50 a't the end of the- ,period duringwhich the -.leverwis:held: in; intermediate: position; by the en- .jagagemenh-ofdever I565 with arm I51,cam I50 carriesvlever I54 high enoughso that pin --I11 strikes-the upper-stopscrew I18 and turns. lever 11 I clockwise about =-its pivot I12 as viewed in :Fig. 1, ithereb-y turning belldever IE5 counter- :clock wise andiswinging projectionl 58 away from corner I13. When now cam follower'iflruns ofi 'the high-section-of cam I50, thelever lfid vdrops rapidly-enoughto carry-lthe projection- I 58 below the level? oiworner I13 before the projecrtion can catch 'on the-corner. The (parts therefore-settle back-into the positions *shown in Fig. i 1 PS0 that-the latch-means 1 is readyto support the .weightaoflever :I54-an'd parts attached theretoras soon as oam-M0 hast-again raisedlever I-54 to the (heighteat which-the latch-lever I65 (is free to ecatch-ron corner -I-13, In case the parts tend to vhangainthe -position-in whicharm I51 of lever I55 is-vc'ocked-raway fromiixedarm I 51, the stop r-screwl18-at=the .bottorn of-slot 410- strikes the spinel'I l to'turn-lever I55 clockwise-to cause its projection I08-torest-against-arm I51. It is clear =thatsasca-m I 48 has the same 5 maximum height r-ascam I50 the -actionao-f thelatch means willbe -the-same when-lever I54-is operated by cam I48 :as-when lever I54eis operatedby cam I50 and the weltsbarslflIi-wi-ll"beheld. inintermediate position :ion'ly :when thellever-IM is operated-by a -cam such-as cam- I49=which=is .ofintermediate height.

As-is clean fromrFigs. (-27 and 28,-when once al- .ternate i loops of rthe= first course have "been cast 'ofL-the hooks -I'02:.draw1the' casteofi' loops ahead sof' the othersin t-hedirection iorwardlyaway from themeed'les. Similarly, -=when the "welt bars 206 are thrusttoward the-needle rows by cams I50, the-hooks i 02 and 32A again maintain the loops ,of the firs'tcourseirr advance of the others in the :xdire'etionof=moti0n of bars 205 as is' clear from :FjgxIil. :In order that the bars 205 may: transmit thrust to-ithe loops in thedirection toward the needles;- hooks l 02 and I02A have associated there- With meansrfor engaging :loops :on thBIhOOkSa to mush them towardthegneedles. For this purpose, i there are .provided-error as part of hooks I02 and a meansttherpreferredYform' of which is 6553 an in3Figs. ;29'-to :36 inclusive. Said means weompixises: irritsj, pref erred form pusher elements -cornposed iof metaIvblanks-IBO bent around --iihe'stemszii=8lziarrd= IBIAgof hooks.l02 and "HA. iiiorireas'ons (which -rwill apresently iappear, {said :pusher elementszalso actras"presser:members -for would normally lie.

pressing alternate needles. One of said blanks I89 is shown before bending in Fig. 39. Each blank E83 is shown as having a small hole I82 therein, as shown in Figs. 39 and 40, and each stem E 3i and I8 IA has pressed up thereon a small short pin, the pin I83 on one stem facing the pin lfla on the adjacent stern as shown clearly in Figs. 35 and 36. In other words, the pins on the stems I8i and IBEA arranged alternatel rights and lefts. The blanks I82 each have a projection IM at one end which is not only reduced in width as compared to the body of the blank but has a bevelled end as shown at I85. The width of the extensions I85 is preferably somewhat greater than that of the stems I8I of hooks I82 and IUZA.

In assembling the blanks I86 on the stems I8I and I8iA, the pins I83 and I83a are passed thru holes I32 and the edges of the blank then folded over the stems to meet on the opposite sides of the stems from the pins I83 and I830, as shown in Figs. 37 and 38, to form the right and left pusher and presser elements H9 and I'I9A on the stems. In other words, the blanks I89 are assembled on stems ISI alternately rights and lofts so that the projections I84 lie against adjacent sides of adjacent stems as appears in Figs. 31, 35 and 36, the positions of pusher and presser elements I'M and I'i9A longitudinally of stems IBI and ISIA being determined by the positions of the pins I83 and I83a on stems I62 and of the holes I82 in the blanks.

As the cast-off loops of the first course embrace the hooks I62 in pairs as is clear from Figs. 28 and 31, the draw-off tension pulls the loops against the parts of the presser elements I19 and IiQA closest to the needles, these being the projections I84. Making the parts I84 wider than the stems I8I and bevelling the ends of the projections I84 provides corners I36 which project above the stems I 8! and 'I8IA and determine a line transversely of the hooks I 32 and Ifl2A on which the loops are held, the loops passing from above the hooks I02 and ifiZA toithe fabric which lies below them and the draw-off tension acting to draw the loops down against corners I8 6, an action facilitated by the bevel I855. The portions of the loops on the tops of hooks I92 and IUZA are therefore held in very exact relation to the needles onto which they are to be placed. Further, as appears clearly in Fig. 31, the thickness of the blanks I19 and I'ISA is approximately one half the distance between stems I SI of adjacent hooks I02 and IIJZA so that the corners I86 of adjacent right and left presser elements I79 and Him are not only in transverse alinement but substantially abut each other to form presser edges between the pairs of hooks adapted to contact alternate needles whenever the hooks I82 and I02A are pushed rearwardly far enough to permit the first course to be returned to the needles, a position shown in Figs. 15 and 29 to 32 inclusive. In this position, the proiections I84 of each pair of right and left presser elements I19 and NBA contact and press rearwardly the needles on which loops were knitted in the first course as such needles rise from the position shown in Fig. 29 so that such needles are pressed out of the plane in which they As the presser elements I19 and I'I9A are at the level of the hooks I82 and IQZA, the pressure for pressing alternate needles is exerted. at as high a level as practical thereby keeping the pressure required for a given defiec tion at a minimum. As, however, each of projections I84 is on one side only of a hook I92 and IIiZA and the projections lie one against another when in assembled position, the presser elements H9 and I'I9A provide spaces or recesses I81 of a length equal to that of projections I84 adapted to receive alternate needles, the ones which are not contacted by corners I86 and which are not pressed out of their normal planes. Alternate needles are therefore free to rise from the position of Fig. 29 through the loops on the books as shown in Figs. 30, 31, 32 and 33. By associating presser means for the alternate needles with the hooks I52 and I (32A, not only is the pressure against the needles for a given deflection kept at a minimum but the number of operating parts of the machine is kept at a minimum. Further, as the blanks I either contact each other or substantially fill the spaces between hooks I02 and I02A, the hooks can not move materially out of their original vertical planes without causing contact between members I89. Consequently, a group of hooks I02 and IDZA having blanks such as I80 arranged thereon as above described and arranged on a given welt bar 236 form a substantially rigid structure so that bending and breakage of hooks I02 and III2A is substantially eliminated as well as breakage of needles by contact of needles with hooks, at least insofar as such contact is due to displacement of hooks from their original positions.

However, as appears in Figs. 19, 20 and 30, the distance to which hooks I02 and III2A can move to the rear of the needles is limited by the presser edge I5 of sinker head 59. In the ordinary knitting cycle, the needles are not tilted forwardly as far as shown in Figs. 29, 30, 31 and 32 and therefore would not rise in recesses I81 so as to properly engage the previously cast-01f loops. Therefore, according to the present invention, a special presser cam I88 is provided, shown in Fig. 3 alongside presser cam I6 for the knitting cycle. Cam I88 will be understood to be shown somewhat diagrammatically. -Whenever loops of the first course are to be restored to the needles, the cam follower 13 is shifted so as to lie in the plane of cam I38. To this end, cam follower 13 is shiftable on its shaft I89 at right angles to its plane of revolution and a fork I90 is provided which embraces the edge of the follower I3 and shifts the follower when fork I92 is shifted by a rod I9I which is moved as determined by the pattern chain of the machine. Cam I38 is provided with a low spot which causes the needles to be tilted the unusual amount needed to bring them into the position shown in Figs. 29, 30, 31 and 32 and holds them in such position until they have been raised through the previously cast-off loops held on hooks I62 and I 82A as shown in Figs. 30, 31, 32 and 33. Further, contrary to what appears at first to be the case, by giving the needles an additional tilt forwardly at the time they are to rise thru the loops, the deflection of the pressed needles need not be so great with consequent decrease in the pressure needed to be applied to them. Cam I56 having passed from beneath follower I52, hooks I92 and IIlZA are drawn forward by straps I23 connected to bars 206 so that they catch on the fabric as shown in Fig. 33.

The construction and operation of the combined welt hooks and needle presser elements as hereinbefore set forth provides for a more accurate engagement of first course of loops of the welt fabric by the Welt hooks and a more accurate and efficient cooperation between the needles and .welt hooks in returning the loops on the welt hooks back to the needles as well as carryin out the objects stated hereinabove.

While it is preferred that the loop-pushing and needle pressing means be-initially. formed largely separately from the welt hooks andafterward applied thereto, the inventionis not limitedto this. InFigs. 41 to 47 inclusive, two other arrangements within theinvention'areshown. In Figs 41 to-44 inclusive, welt hooks I92 "and I92A are shown, the stem portions of which are-bent sharply to one sideof'the general centerlines of the hooks as viewed in' plan first-toone-side of the center line and then to't'he'oth'er, thereby "giving-the hooksa zig-zag appearance inJplan. -As appears in Figs. '42 and =43, hooks I92 are lefthanded compared to hooks IQZA so that'theright angled shoulder I93 and corner 194 at the outer end thereof on hook I92 projects in the-opposite direction from the'similar shoulder 193a andsimilar corner I94a on'hook I92A. Also, the corner 195 on hook I92 points inthe opposite direction from the corner 195a 'on the hook I92A. There- 'fore,"when hooks I92 and [92A are assembled side by side in a welt bar,-the corners 194 contact the corners IBM and the shoulders I 93 form with shoulders 193a straight -presser edge sections transverse to the length of the hooks adapted to contact alternate needles, those from which the loops of the first course were :knitte'd off and not cast off, to press such needles in the rearward direction as shown in Fig. 44; that is, in the direction opposite tothedraw-off. Also, the loops of the first course which were cast off of the needlesgand'therefom retained on "a "pair or Welt books 192 and I92A, catch on shouldersI-93 and I 93a as shown in Fig. 44 tohold the loops'against theidraw-off tension. Furtherycorners l95 meet and contact with corners l'95'a tomaintainhooks I92 and I92A'the proper distances apart and to provide recesses I96 within which 'the needles from'whi'ch loops of the "first course were cast ofi may rise so 'thatthe loops maybe restored thereto. .Further, due tothe slight clearance, if any, between corners I94and 'I'94a'on the one hand and corners 't'95 and I9'5a on the other,the set of hooks I92 and 192A is "also substantially rigid against'lateral pressure, thereby preventing breakage of hooks and also maintaining them in their original positions as installed to prevent them from contactingand thereby bending or breaking any 'of'the needles. The corners I94 and 9 5av and the shoulders 3 I93 and I'93a incline forwardly and downwardly, as generally indicated in Fig. '41, to increase the efficiency of the drawoff tension'in lirawing the loops down on hooks I92 and I92 Aandagainst'shoulders I93 and I93a.

The thirdform of combined'hook'an'd presser means within thepresent inventionis'shown in Figs. 45 130-47 inclusive. InFigsp45 to 47? inclusive, welt hook members -I9I and mm are connected two togetheras bestshown in Fig. 46,-the stems I98 and I99a respectively of two connected hook members being'fastened on opposite sides of .a central stem I99 fixed to a relatively heavy shank 299 bywhichtwo hook members I91 and IBM may be'assembled in a welt bar. Thestems I99 ar 'shownas riveted-tostems l98 and l98a but th method of 'attachment'is immaterial to'the invention. 'Stems199 are just a bit wider vertically thanstems I98 and IBM and the free ends of stems I99 are shown as inclined downwardly and forwardly. The corners 20I at the upper rear ends of stems'l99, therefore, act as-presser edges for. alternate needles to press them on the sides opposite to theneedle beards: and also to catch the cast on loops as the hook members I9! and IBM are pushed toward thei'needle rows, while .theiinclined faces 202 ifacilitateithe action rs oi thedraw-oiT-tension inpulling the portions of the loops on top of the hook members down againstthecorners 29L There being only one shankJUO and stem I 99 to two hook members I91 and I9'la,-each'space.-203 betweenhook members I91 and I9Ia on adjacent shanks-2'99 isfree to permit alternateneedles to rise in-position to-engage-the loops on the hooks.

The-method of operation in accordance with the spresent invention will be obvious to those skilledin the art from the foregoingdescription. Eoripurposes of convenience, it will,.however, be recapitulated as follows:

.ltwillbe seen that all three formsof welt hook members or loop manipulating implements .102, I92 and I91, eachmadelefts .and rights,.have their loop engagingends or hooks proper each bent 'ina single plane which includes also the centrallongitudin-al axis of 1 the welthook memher.

.After yarn-has been laid tothe needles'of a full-fashioned knitting machine for forming the first course .of a welt and sunk and divided by the sinkers-anddividers so asto be formed into loops'around the stems of the needles,-welt-hooks having loop pusher and .needle ,presser means associated therewith are thrust one intermediate eachtwo needles-in the horizontal direction and betweena sinker or divider andaknockover bit in the vertical direction. The loops ar then drawn downby the needles off-the sinkers and dividers and onto the. stems of the hooks. Drawofi tension is then applied to the loops through the hooks to engage the loops firmly with the hooks and then the tension is relaxed while alternat loops are cast off'the needles. The draw-off tension having beenreapplied, the hooks hold the loops which have been cast-on and knittingis then-proceeded with, the hooks drawing the castoff loops ahead of the=knitted loops of the first course. After a certain number of courses have been knitted, the weltis turned bya procedure Which may be in large measure of known character. .Asuitable proceduremayinclude steps by which a welt rod is pressed onto the-welt fabric, the welt.hooksare moved partway toward the needles and draw-offtensionapplied to the welt rod to form a fold in and to tension the welt fabric, the loop pusher meanson said hooks thrusting the previously cast-off loops toward the needles ahead of .th knitted loopsof the first course when the hooks are moved toward the needles. If the total number of courses for the welthas been. knitted before the welt hooks start their second movement towardthe needles, the hooks need not pause at a point part way toward the needles for applyingthe welt rod to the fabric and the tension to the welt rod. If desired,.however, thehooks may bestopped long enough in an intermediate position before reaching the needles on their second movement toward the needles during the knitting of a given welt'for certain courses-to be knitted While the hooks are held in such intermediate position, but the invention is not limitedtoso doing. At the time the welt hooks are'thrust a second time during the knitting of a given set of welt courses between the planes in which the "needles operate, either after a preliminary stop or not, the needles are at thelower ends oftheir'paths. Since, in accordance with the present invention, said hooks have combined therewith loop pushing and needle pressing means, 'the loop pushing means are activein pushing the cast-off loops of the first course toward the needle row all during the sec- 19 nd rearward movement of the hooks and hold such loops in such position that they may receive needles on the upstroke thereof while, near the end of said second rearward movement, the needle pressing means contacts alternate needles, those which knitted in the first course and which li between the ones from which loops were cast off, so as to press them in the direction opposite the draw off. The needles which knitted loops in the first course of the welt therefore are kept out of the way of the yarn of the first course. Said loop pushing and needle pressing means are, however, provided only between pairs of needles or, in other words, in alternate spaces between needles so that there is room between the hooks of a given pair to receive alternate needles, those from which loops were cast off, which remain unpressed and in their normal positions relative to their needle bars. Also, the needle bar is tilted enough to ensure that the unpressed needles will thread through said spaces and therefore through the loops held on the hooks in contact with the loop pushing and needle pressing means. Therefore, the needles from which the loops of the first course were cast off knit the cast off loops to the course at the lower edge of.

the welt to complete the turning of the welt.

The improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A method of hooking up the first course of and turning a fiat knitted welt comprising advancing a group of welt hooks between the needles to receive loops of the first course thereon, casting off the loops of the first course from alternate needles, utilizing the remaining needles for knitting the first course, knitting a number of subsequent courses and drawing them off by tension applied to said hooks, thrusting said hooks toward the needles again having said cast-off loops of the first course stretched each on two hooks, holding said loops toward the needles by means associated with said hooks in position to contact the sides of said stretched loops and simultaneously contacting by said means the needles utilized in knitting the loops of the first course to press them away from their normal position, and bringing the unpressed needles up through the loops on the hooks.

2. In a method of hooking up a first course of a welt, knitting the welt and afterward restoring said first course to the needles, the steps of casting off alternate loops of the first course from the needle row, receiving said cast-ofi loops on the hook portions of combined welt hook and presser members, drawing off the fabric by said hook portions while knitting a portion of the welt, reversing the movement of said members and engaging said cast-off loops by the presser portions of said members while knitting the remainin portion of said welt, bringing alternate needles up through said cast oiT loops and pressing the remaining needles by the presser portions of said members in the direction opposite the draw-off to prevent them from affecting the loops.

3. A method of hooking up the first course of and turning a fiat knitted welt comprising advancing a group of combined welt hook and presser members between the needles to engage the loops of the first course thereby, casting off the loops of the first course from alternate needles and receiving said cast-off loops on pairs of said members, utilizing the remaining needles for knitting the first course, knitting a number of subsequent courses and drawing them ofi by tension applied to said members while engaged by the hook portions of the members, thrusting said members toward the needles again having said cast oif loops of the first course each in contact with the presser portions of two of said members, pressing the needles utilized in knitting the loops of the first course by said presser portions to press such needles away from their normal position, and bringing the unpressed needles up through the loops on said members.

4. A method of hookin up a first course of and turning a knitted welt comprising the steps of advancing between the needles the hook portions of a group of members having hook and shoulder portions to engage the loops of the first course by said hook portions, casting off the loops of the first course from alternate needles, utilizing the remaining needles for knitting the first course, knitting a number of subsequent courses and drawing them off by tension applied to said members, thrusting said members toward the needles again having said cast-ofi loops of the first course stretched each on two members and in contact with the shoulder portions of said members, and pressing by said shoulder portions the needles utilized in knitting the loops of the first course to force them away from their normal position while bringing the unpressed needles up through the loops of said members.

5. The method .of knitting and turning welts comprising engaging welt hooks with the sinker loops of the first course of a welt while on the needles, casting ofi alternate loops from the needles before knitting any loops of the first course and receiving said cast-off loops on alternate pairs of said hooks, knittin the welt, thrusting the welt hooks toward the needles while having the said cast-01f loops thereon, applying a draw-01f tension to the welt, rocking the needles in the direction of the draw-01f, pressing alternate needles in the direction contrary to the drawoff by means associated with the welt hooks and substantially at the level of the hooks, and bringing the non-pressed needles up through said castoff loops on the hooks to transfer the loops back to the needles.

6. In a full-fashioned or fiat knitting machine the combination of knitting mechanism, means for laying yarn thereto, and means for hooking up the loops of the first course of a fabric held on said needles and for restoring said first course to the needles after a portion of fabric has been knitted including a set of hook members having projections on their sides arranged alternately rights and lefts and a right close to a left to form combined presser and yarn holding faces between pairs of hooks.

7. A welt bar having a set of welt hooks supported therefrom and presser elements between pairs of said hooks contacting loops stretched each across one of said pairs of hooks and contacting needles intermediate said pairs to force such intermediate needles out of their normal positions for preventing them from acting on the loops.

8. A welt bar having a set of welt hooks thereon, members on said hooks projecting farther from the bar on the one sides of the hooks than on the other sides, and said farther projecting portions arranged alternately rights and lefts to provide presser faces between pairs of hooks. 

